ALERT: Thousands missing out on €420 Social Welfare payment - here's how to get it

Thousands of people could be missing out on a little-known extra Social Welfare payment that could be worth up to €420 a year for hard-pressed households.

The Household Benefits Package (HBP) helps with the cost of electricity, gas and the TV licence and is available to a whole host of Social Welfare recipients - not just those aged over 70.

The payment is made in monthly installments of €35 and can be used by recipients as a gas or electricity allowance, helping to keep the costs of those winter bills down.

You are eligible for the Household Benefits Package if you are aged 70 or over but under 70s may also be eligible. You do not need to be getting a State pension if over 70 and the package is not means tested.

Do I qualify for the Household Benefits Package?

To get the Household Benefits Package, you must:

- Be living in Ireland (full-time, all year round)

- Be the only person in your household getting the HBP

- Be aged 70 or over

- Be aged under 70 and meet the additional rules for ‘People aged under 70’ set out below

- Have the electricity or gas bill in your name if you are applying for to have an Electricity or Gas Allowance paid as a credit on your bill

What if I'm under 70 - can I still get it?

If you are under 70 you can get the Household Benefits Package if you are also getting a qualifying social welfare payment.

If you are under 70 and living with your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner, you can get the HBP if you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment and:

- You are getting an increase in your qualifying social welfare payment for them (see list of qualifying social welfare payments below), or

- They are getting their own qualifying social welfare payment listed below, or

- They are getting a social welfare payment not listed below and they satisfy a means test

You can live with other adults (who are not your spouse, cohabitant or civil partner) and get the HBP.

Qualifying social welfare payments for people under 70

You are between 66 and 70:

State Pension (Contributory)

State Pension (Non-Contributory)

Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension

Deserted Wife's Benefit

Carer's Allowance (full or half-rate payment), but you must be living with the person you are caring for.

An ordinary Garda Widow's Pension from the Department of Justice

An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

If you are aged between 66 and 70 and not getting one of the payments above, you may qualify for the Household Benefits Package if you pass a means test.

Widowed people or surviving civil partners

You can qualify for the Household Benefits Package, if you are widowed or a surviving civil partner aged between 60 and 65 and your late spouse or civil partner was getting the Household Benefit Package before their death. To qualify you must have lived together when the Household Benefit Package was first awarded and you must be getting one of the following payments:

Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) or (Non-Contributory) Pension

One-Parent Family Payment (Widows/Widowers)

Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefits Scheme

An equivalent Social Security Pension or Benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

An ordinary Garda Widow's Pension from the Department of Justice

If you were under 60 when your spouse or civil partner died, you can get the Household Benefits Package when you turn 60 if you meet these conditions.

You can find out more on the Citizen's Information website here.